Wildlife Gets Nod in Senate Immigration Bill

(5/26/2006) - "Until now, wildlife and the special places it needs
to survive and prosper have been forgotten in the Senate’s push to pass
immigration reform legislation. Thanks to Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY), however,
plants and animals and the national parks, forests and wildlife refuges along
our borders have a chance of receiving some protection. Sen. Thomas led the
effort on an amendment to require the Border Patrol to conduct security
operations in a manner that helps protect the local environment even as they
protect our borders. In doing so, he and other principled leaders like
cosponsors Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), John Cornyn
(R-TX) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) have likely helped protect some of the
southwest’s natural treasures.

"Illegal immigration and associated border
enforcement and construction activities have the potential to severely harm
wildlife in the region and damage some of our country’s most beautiful
landscapes. The amendment offered by these senators provides, for the first
time, significant and meaningful direction to the Department of Homeland
Security to ensure that border security efforts do not unnecessarily harm these
irreplaceable lands.

"The Senate’s immigration bill is still fraught with
peril for the environment. It includes massive wall-building projects in the
Southwest that could devastate the ecology of the region. But the senators’
amendment offers a glimmer of hope that some of these treasures can be saved. We
should not need to sacrifice our natural heritage to ensure our national
security. The Senators are to be commended for their leadership in this
area."

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